Integrated circuits and integrated circuit packaging systems can be found in a multitude of portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, pocket PCs, digital cameras, location-based devices, and other wireless products. Today's customers and electronics systems are demanding that these integrated circuit systems provide maximum functional integration of memory and logic within the smallest footprint, lowest profile, and lowest cost package available. Consequently, manufacturers are requiring an increasing number of input/output (I/O) leads to support the high level of functional integration of these mobile multimedia products.
Unfortunately, as the number of I/O leads increases, the interval between these leads must decrease in order to prevent the size of a semiconductor package from increasing. Furthermore, as the number of I/O leads increases, so do the number of wires required to interconnect these leads to the bond pads of the integrated circuits within these packaging systems. As a result, it can become quite difficult to create reliable connections between I/O leads and bonding pads. For example, common wire bonding problems at this technology node include difficult wire access, crossed wires, and small contact areas for the leads.
Thus, a need still remains for a reliable integrated circuit packaging system, method of fabrication, and device design, wherein the integrated circuit packaging system increases the number of I/O counts without increasing the complexity of wire bonding. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is critical that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.